Chapter Text
The problem with Denki is that he’s everywhere.
Not physically.
Well.
Okay, physically too.
But mostly Izuku means mentally.
Because ever since the kidnapping, his brain keeps doing deeply unhelpful things like:
noticing Denki’s smile,
remembering how gently he said you’re here, not there,
and internally correcting Kaminari to Denki every single time now.
Which feels medically concerning.
Izuku is trying very hard not to think about it.
Unfortunately, his brain hates him.
“Midoriya.”
Izuku startles so hard he nearly drops his notebook.
Denki leans over the back of the couch, blinking at him.
“…you good?”
“No,” Izuku says honestly.
Denki pauses.
Then lights up immediately.
“Oh wow. Character development.”
Izuku groans.
“You’re impossible.”
“And yet you keep looking at me.”
“I look at everyone.”
“Liar.”
The word is light.
Teasing.
But Izuku still feels heat crawl up his neck.
Because the worst part is–
Denki’s right.
Again.
Denki drops over the back of the couch dramatically and lands beside him with all the grace of a dying squirrel.
“Ow.”
“You did that to yourself.”
“Victim blaming.”
Izuku snorts quietly.
The common room is crowded tonight.
Mina’s painting Kirashima’s nails neon orange for reasons nobody understands.
Tokoyami is reading ominously in the corner.
Todoroki is in deep conversation with Yaoyorozu about his conspiracies, and how he thinks shinsou is Aizawa’s son.
Normal.
Safe.
Denki stretches slightly beside him, arm brushing Izuku’s accidentally.
Izuku freezes immediately.
Not noticeable.
Probably.
Hopefully.
His brain immediately supplies:
Denki.
Warm.
Close.
Safe.
Izuku hates everything.
“…you’re doing it again,” Denki says suddenly.
Izuku nearly dies.
“What.”
“That thing where you stare at me like you’re having a philosophical crisis.”
“I do NOT do that.”
Denki stares at him.
Izuku stares back.
Then slowly realizes Denki is right.
Again.
“Oh no.”
“Oh my god,” Denki says delightedly. “You ARE having a crisis.”
“I need you to stop noticing things.”
“Counterpoint! no.”
Denki grins at him.
Bright.
Easy.
Fond.
Izuku’s stomach does something deeply embarrassing.
And apparently his face gives him away immediately because Denki suddenly goes very still.
“Oh,” he says softly.
Izuku’s soul leaves his body.
“Nope.”
“Midoriya–”
“Nope.”
“You just looked at me like I personally invented happiness.”
“That is not a thing people can LOOK like.”
“It absolutely is.”
Izuku covers his face with his notebook.
From somewhere across the room, Mina gasps loudly.
“Oh my GOD.”
The entire class looks over instantly.
Traitors.
Absolute traitors.
Mina points aggressively at Izuku and Denki.
“IT’S HAPPENING.”
“It’s BEEN happening,” Jirou says.
Kirishima looks delighted.
Tokoyami murmurs something about “the inevitability of emotional truth.”
Bakugou doesn’t even look up from his homework.
“Took you idiots long enough.”
Izuku feels genuine despair settle into his soul.
Denki looks thrilled.
“Wait,” Izuku says slowly. “You all knew?”
Ochaco blinks.
“…Midoriya, you literally look for Kaminari first every time you enter a room.”
Izuku freezes.
What.
Momo nods sympathetically.
“And Kaminari automatically sits beside you whenever possible.”
Denki opens his mouth.
Stops.
“…oh.”
Sero points dramatically.
“OH HE DIDN’T KNOW EITHER.”
“I thought I was being subtle,” Denki says weakly.
The room erupts instantly.
“You FOLLOW him around pretty much everywhere.”
“You shared your charger with him voluntarily.”
“You let him steal your fries.”
Denki looks horrified.
“…I did let him steal my fries.”
Izuku stares at him helplessly.
“You hate sharing food.”
“I know.”
Silence.
Then Mina screams into a couch pillow.
Bakugou stands abruptly.
“I’m leaving before one of you idiots confesses and kills me instantly.”
“You’re just jealous because nobody’s in love with you,” Kaminari shoots back automatically.
Bakugou gags theatrically and exits the room.
Coward.
Izuku can physically feel himself overheating.
Because now everyone’s staring again.
Not meanly.
Excitedly.
Which somehow feels worse.
Denki glances sideways at him.
Then pauses.
The teasing expression softens slightly.
“You okay?”
The concern in his voice cuts through the chaos instantly.
And there it is again.
That warm feeling in Izuku’s chest.
The one that’s becoming terrifyingly familiar.
Kaminari-
No.
Denki.
The thought comes automatically now.
Easy.
Natural.
And suddenly, suddenly, Izuku realizes he doesn’t want to correct it anymore.
Oh.
Oh.
Denki’s still watching him carefully.
Waiting.
Izuku laughs softly before he can stop himself.
“Yeah,” he says quietly.
And for once—
He actually means it.